Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Man fist-pumps for 16 hours to set new world record

The Guinness world record for fist-pumping may be owned by an Ohio man. He also created the category. 34-year-old James Peterson fist-pumped for 16 hours straight, beginning at 11am on Friday and ending at 3am on Saturday.

The unemployed electrician from Green said he did not want to take any chances. To ensure that he kept his fist clenched, Peterson said, he super-glued his hand shut. And to quash any doubters, a pair of videographers recorded his each and every move and each and every fist pump.

“I have set the qualifications for this record and every minute that I do this is a new record,” he said on Friday afternoon at the UA campus. “My fist is super-glued together to ensure I maintain perfect fist formation.” He describes himself as a seasoned veteran of fist pumping. “I used to hang light fixtures, so I am used to having my hands above my head,” he said.

He prefers the so-called Jersey-style where you use your elbow to roll your fist — opposed to a “fist thrust” where you just thrust your fist into the air. This is not his first attempt at setting a new standard for Jersey-style fist thrusting. “I did this on St. Patrick’s Day but it was not documented,” he said.